Method and apparatus for geophysical prospecting



F. P. Ho'cHGEsANG. r-:rAL 2,470,743

May 17, 1949.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GEoP'HYsI'c-An PnosPEc'rING- Filed Sept. 16. 1944 s sheets-sheet 1` May 17, 1949. F. P. HocHGl-:sANG r-:rAL 2,470,743

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledSept. 16. A1944;

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May 17, 1949-` F. P. HocHGEsANG Erm. 2,470,743

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GEOPHYSICAL PR'OSPECTING' Filed Sept. 16. 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY (MQ NEY Patented May 17, 1949 `METHOD AND APEARATUS FOR GEO- PHYSICAL PRO SPEGTIN G Frank I. Hochgesang, Woodbury, and Carleton H. Schlesman, Camden, N.

J., assignors to Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application September 16, 1944, Serial No. 554,380

(Cl. Z50-53) 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates generally to the art of geophysical prospecting and more particularly to the art of surveying subsurface strata in situ byX-ray diffraction analysis.

The present invention deals with a method and apparatus of wide applicability which serves to make core drilling or other sampling unnecessary fand which provides the further advantage of' .making an accurate analysis of formations in fsitu during the running of a survey. The present method and apparatus while intended primarily .for use in oil well surveying where the hole may 4be filled with drilling fluid is equally applicable,

and the apparatus may be simplified in form for useinmineral prospecting by the drilling of bore `holes and the examination of the rock structure underlying bridge piers and dam or building foundations.

Inpracticing this invention the necessary apparatus for making photographs of X-ray diffraction patterns of the substrata, controllable electrically from the Asurface by suitable electrical connection, is placed in a capsule or bomb which can be lowered intor a drill hole. Means are also carried by the capsule or bomb, actuable by apparatus within the capsule or bomb that is controlled from the surface, for scraping and cleaning the wall, where scraping and cleaning are necessary. in order that the X-ray diffraction `pattern will be of the penetrated stratum and not of the mud sheath that lines the drill hole.

Admittedly it is well known that X-ray diffraction analyses can be made of cores once they are made accessible by removing them from the .drill hole but so far as applicants are aware no one has advanced a method and apparatus for making such analyses of geological substrata Additionally it is known in the art that well surveys have been ,made by lowering a source of ultraviolet radiation into the drill hole and measuring or recording the reflected or diffused lradiation as an index of the substrata. The use ofA a `rangeof wave lengths cf ultraviolet radiation as a source, recording the reflected or diffused radiation and making a spectral analysis -ofntheA record is also taught by the prior art.

Many patents teach the use of various types of. radiation,A including X-rays, in making well surveys,` but nowhere is there a suggestion that a well survey can be made that positively identies the substrata by X-ray diffraction analysis of the-substrata in situ.

The present invention has many other applications and advantages. well the apparatus may be used without alteration to determine the depth at which casing has been set or, with slight modification, it is equally applicable to make analyses of the fluid in the well` at Various horizons. Ifv water is seeping For example, in a cased into the well a survey with this instrument ywill reveal the nature of the crystalline salts present and by showing progressively the change of composition from water to drilling fluid will permit accurate location of the point of entry of the water.

Therefore the primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a method and apparatus-for surveying a drill hole by X-ray diffraction analyses of substances in situ within a bore hole'.

Another'object of this invention resides` in the provision of a method of analyzing underground structures or solids suspended in fluids contained in underground pools or wells whichl consists-in subjecting the material to be examined toa beam of X-rays and recording the distinctive diffraction pattern produced by the material being examined by photographic means.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a self-contained apparatus for securing X-ray diffraction analyses of the type described, capable of being easily transported, readily available for examination of surface or subsurface materials, rock strata of fluids, embodying a compact X-ray tube and diffraction camera equipped to effect changing of thefllm by remote control and marking the film torindicate depth or number of sample.

Still another object of this invention -resides in the provision of a pressure-resisting container for the X-ray tube, the camera and other equipment containing windows transparent to X-rays supported by suitable curvature of the windows by suitable increments of internal pressure maintained by gas pressure from a gas supplytank.

This invention further contemplates means for extending or retracting the exterior ray window into or out of contact with the formation.

Another object of this invention resides inthe provision of means for. placing a sample ofthe solids suspended in fluid to be examined inthe X-ray beam so that rays diffracted thereby-can be photographed.

Still another object of this invention is'the provision of a system of spring-operated orpoweroperated guides for locating'the measuring'equipment in suitable position in a well or other underground recess.

A further object of this invention resides inthe provision of apparatus for cleaning the face of the formation being analyzed such as a poweroperated milling device, a mechanical scraper-,or a high-pressure water cutting je't operating against the face of the formation.

This invention also contemplates a compact arrangement of the camera and all lauxiliary equipment and its power operating equipmenxt'ln a properly coordinated form controlled from; the surface by means of carrier currentsv so that all functions, including power supply, may-beA secured through a cable of two wires or a drill pipe or ground connection and a single insulated wire.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for measuring the porosity of form-ations at great depths below the earths surface, either by milling to various depths from the face of Ithe well or by means of side wall boring and subsequent analyses of the chips.

This invention also contemplates means for determining the lower limit of the casing in a well as well as the location of cement where it protrudes into the Well.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description thereof when considered with the drawings in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a well surveying operation as contemplated by the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of a drill hole and the surveying apparatus disposed therein;

Figure 8 is a cross sectional View :taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional View of the 4capsule and recording chamber showing one method of protecting the window of the X-ray tube from high pressures;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of a pressure supply system for controlling the differential pressures on the Windows shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modification of the invention as disclosed in Figure 2; and

Figures 7a. and 7b are X-ray diffraction patterns illustrating the method of comparing photographs vof two dilerent diffraction patterns.

Referring to the drawings in detail, patricularly Figure 1, there is shown a capsule, carltridge, or bomb IIl that is adapted to be lowered or raised in a drill hole II by a cable I2. Capsule IU is formed of steel or other pressure resisting metal capable of resisting the high pressures encountered in a deep drill hole. Cable I2, in addition to supporting the capsule I and acting as means for raising and lowering it in the drill hole, also carries the electrical conductor or conductors for controlling the apparatus housed in the capsule.

Cable I2 extends from the capsule I0 out the mouth of drill hole I I and over a measuring -wheel I3 to a cable supply drum i4. Electrical connection is made to the Conductors carried by the cable on the drum through slip rings I and brushes I6. Conductors I1 lead from the brushes toa power supply and control unit I8.

Drum I4 may be driven by any conventional source of power, not shown, to raise or lower capsule IIJ in the drillhole II.

Measuring wheel I3 may be connected by a .shaft I9 to a depth indicator or recording device 20 of conventional design.

In the majority of cases where surveys are made in deep uncased drill holes the walls are .lined `with a mud sheath. In order .to make a photograph of -an X-ray dilraction pattern of the strata this mud sheath must be removed, at least from a portion of the wall. To this end milling cutters 2l, which project through the housing of capsule I are provided to remove the mud sheath 22 from the face of the strata 23.

Referring to Figure 2 it will be seen that cutters 2l are mounted on a shaft 24 that is adapted to rotate in a bearing 25 carried .by one end of link 4 26. Cutter shaft 24 may be driven by an electric or air motor, not shown. Link 216 is pivotally mounted at its opposite end on a shaft 21 that is secured to the inside wall of the housing of capsule I0. Link. 25 is adapted :to move through an angle 0 Ito move the cutters 2l in the opening 28 in the housing, to bring them into and out of contact with the wall of the drill hole. Rotation of link 26 is effected by means of an air cylinder 29 which is appropriately pivotally supported in the housing by anchor means 30. Piston rod 3| extending from air cylinder 29 is pivotally connected to link 2S at the intermediate point 32.

Compressed air is supplied to air cylinder 29 from a reservoir 33 through conduit 34, pressure reducing valve 35, conduit 36, electrically controlled valve 3l and conduit 38. Air from cylinder 28 is discharged through vent 39. The electrical control for valve 3l land the motor which drives the milling cutters 2| will be hereafter described.

Capsule Il is provided with wall guides that, when extended, are adapted to bear on the -wall of the drill hole at points opposite the Amilling cutters 2i so that pressure can be applied to the cutters 2l. Air cylinder 29 in addition to serving as means to retract and extend the cutters 2| also serves to control the feed pressure placed on them.

Wall guides 4l! each comprise a rod 4I mounted in a bearing @2 for reciprocation radially with respect to the cylindrical housing of the capsule Iii. The inner ends of the rods 4I are appropriately provided with motive means, such as. air cylinders 43, for moving the guides into and out of contact with the wall of the drill hole.

Air is supplied to the cylinders G3 from the pressure reducing valve 35 through electrically controlled valves, not shown, that are similar to valve 31.

The outer end of the rods 4I are provided with shoes 44 that are adapted to engage the wall.

That portion of the interior oi capsule I 0 which houses the cutter operating equipment, air reservoir 33, pressure reducing valve 35, and the bottom wall guide L30 is separated from the upper portion, the photographic chamber within the capsule, by a diaphragm 45. The diaphragm 45 therefore divides the interior of the capsule into two chambers, a bottom chamber that may be open to the iluid in the drill hole and an upper chamber which contains the photographic equipment and a portion of the electrical control equipment :and which is sealed so that the fluid in the drill hole cannot enter it,

In order that the pressure of the fluid in the drill hole will not rupture the diaphragm 45, means are provided for equalizing the pressure in the two chambers. Conduit at, having one end communicating with the lluid in the drill hole, leads to a pressure regulator valve 47 which on increase in pressure of the drill hole iiuid will admit air from the reservoir 33 through conduits 48 and t9 to the upper chamber to equalize the pressure. When the outside pressure is reduced valve 41 opens a vent to the upper chamber to reestablish a pressure balance.

As a further aid to cleaning the face of the stratum after the mud has been milled therefrom by cutters 2|, Scrapers or squeegees 5@ are provided which follow the milling cutters 2I as the capsule Il) is lowered in the hole. Scrapers 5I) may be formed of rubber and be of the retractable or self-retracting type. These Scrapers are secured to the housing of capsule Ill above, but in verticalf alignment with the cutters 2l, When notirr use'the Scrapers may be retracted to the position shown in dotted: lines at 5ta.

AsI shown in Figures 2l and 3' the upper chamb'er 'of capsule I0, which houses the X-ray photographic equipment for making photographs of Xray' diffraction patterns, is provided with an opening 55| in' which is: sealed a window 5.2. Windbw"5`2 `i's so positioned that it is in vertical alignment with the cutters 2| and the Scrapers 5t. Thefseal-ingfmeans for window 52 comprises a pair offconcentrically disposed bellows 5t and 5ft wl'i'chmay also serve as means for extending the windows into contact with the wall and retractingf'it. This-can be accomplished by forcing fluid into the sealed oil space between the two bellows. Fluid? maybe conducted to the chamber dened by'l theA` two bellows through a conduit 55 that extends from the chamber through an electrically oontrolled'valve, similar to valve 31, to the reservoir33i- The window housing is provided with mud rings 55' which serve as means to steady the window in position, cushion it, hold back the drilling.' mud, and form a chamber between the window and the facev of the stratum which can be blo-Wnf cleanlby air or washed clean with fresh water.

ThezrXLray equipment chamber is sealed by the diaphragm v45T in the manner described above so that' it operatesinv air or gas under pressure or i'ffnecess'ary in a vacuum. In order to protect theifXeray'tube and the necessary thin windows from. pressure which may exist in the fluid in the Well.,` a series of thin windows transparent to X.-rays are employed and are supported by internal' gas pressure so that the pressure on the outermost window equals or slightly exceeds that ini' the hole. By slightly increasing or decreasing thisinternal pressure the X-ray window may be placedinf contact with the formation or withdrawn by bellows action. In the simplest forni the: X-ray' tube maybe made'of metal with rugged glassseals and the beam projected through a thin Illindeman'-y window which is very small and is curvedt'ofobtainstrength. Ii neces-sary, anumber ofwin'dows may.' be used and a pressure diierentialfestablishe'd between successive windows. This isrillustrated. in. Figures 4 andV 5.

Whenvemploying a number of windows each mustbe formed of a material which will transmit X-rayssuch as beryllium foil about /1000 inch thickl or' Lindeman (lithium glass) about 3%000 inch thick.

Assuming'the uid in the well to be under 2000 pounds` pressure, the window diiiculty can be i surmounted by handling this pressure in several stages: The X-ray'tube is evacuated; thus window-Wl separates the high vacuum from air at 50 pounds pressure. Window W2 permits the pressure in the next small chamber to be built up to2400i pounds, and the pressure between windows W2 and W3 can then be built up to 900 pounds. The camera area, that is the pressure between windows" W3 and W4, might be under 22003 pounds pressure. The higher pressure in this vessel'- permits Ythe Sylphon bellows to expand against well pressure.

I'n operation a source of high pressure gas is carried in the-tank A. Regulating valve R is responsible for the control of pressure in chamber X`- Whichfisconnected to the system through tube-Pi'. Thenetwork between cylinders A and B operates similarly to an electrical bleeder resistance, that is, a pressure differential is automatically set up as a result of ow of the gas through the capillary tubes' so that' tliedesired ample. Regulator R is remotely controlled from" the surface. A small motor may serve to increase or decrease the tension on the' regulator. ThisI type of device is commonly employed in remotely operated engine governors.

Again referring to Figures Zand 3, the recording equipment, located in the upper chamber,v may consist of an X-ray tube 56', the window"52; the photographic nlm 51, and the depth markerZ 58. As shown in Figure 3 the X-ray tube 56 ispositioned in one side of the chamber and? is adapted to give out a high intensity beam ofL monochromatic X-rays, such as those secured; for example, from a molybdenum or other suit'- able target. This beam is directed through a-slitformed in the shield 59 along the path'll'in' theA form of a narrow pencil of rays. The rays after passing through window 52 are' dispersed byv the stratum, which acts-as a diiraction grating, and? is back-reflected through the window- 52 along the' paths tl to the photographic lrn 51.

Photographic nlm 51 is supplied .from a roll 62 and passes through suitable guides 63' to a take-up' spool 64. Take-up spool 6L!` can be electrically driven from the surface of the earth toadvance the lm after each photograph. The guides 63 for the film are such that they will hold the lm in an arcuate position for exposure:

In order to prevent primary radiation from striking the film a vertical shield 65 impenetrable to X-rays, is provided. Shield K55-may be secured to the inner wall of the housing along the line 662.'

The various electrically controlled valves, elec tric motors, X-ray tube, film take-upmechanism; and depth marking device can all bel selectivelyl supplied with power from a source located* on the earths surface through the medium' of car rier current waves and appropriate lters over a single transmission circuit" in the manner taught by the Fearon Patent No. 2,368,532. Since the use of carrier current waves for the transmission of a plurality of signals over' av sin'gle circuit is well known in the art, it is not believed' necessary to make a detailed disclosure of such a system. The power supply and control means are indicated diagrammatically in Figure 1 and' the power distribution means are shown diagrammatically at B1 in Figure l.

In operation the capsule; with window,.milling cutters and guides retracted, is lowered' in' the drill hole to the point from which it is desired to make a log. The cutters and guides are then extended and the process of removing the mud sheath is begun. As the capsule is lowered.` further with the cutters in operation the squeegees scrape the milled areal of the strata clean. A ft'er a suficient area has been cleaned in' this man'. ner the window is extended until the mud rings come into contact with the wall. The" drilling huid or mud is then washedirom the' chamber, formed by the mud rings and the window, by replacing it with fresh water. The recording equipment is then placed into operation and a photograph is made of the X-raydiffraction patitern. The depth mark is then placed on the film and the nlm is advanced to a position where it is ready for the next exposure,

While the capsule may be held motionless during the exposure which may be of several minutes duration, this is not necessary. Furthermore, use may be made of ash X-ray technique to provide instantaneous exposures.

Without modication the invention described thus far can be used to locate the extremities of casing in a drill hole or cement wherever it protrudes into the hole. This is accomplished by noting the predominance of iron in the diffraction pattern or the substances of which cement is composed.

In Figure 6 there is shown diagrammatically a modified form of the present invention. This embodiment is adapted for use in a drill hole for the purpose of making X-ray diffraction analyses of the drilling fluid or cuttings which have been milled from the wall of the drill hole.

Casing 'l is divided into an upper compartment 'Il and a lower compartment l2. Compartf ment 'I2 houses a pump 13. Drilling iluid or cuttings are drawn in by the pump 73 through the conduit 14 and discharged into a grinder 'l5 through a connecting conduit 76. Grinder 'l5 and pump T3 may be driven through a common shaft by an electric motor Tl. The discharge from the grinder 'l5 is fed into a strainer or lter 18. The strained or ltered sample is forced upwardly through the conduit 19 until it lls the sample tube 80 located in the upper chamber 'H in the path of a pencil-like beam 8l of X-rays which are emitted by the X-ray tube 82. Sample tube Bil may be a thin walled glass or plastic tube. The X-rays in passing through the sample are dispersed into a diffraction pattern. The diffraction pattern is allowed to expose the photographic lm 83.

Where iluid samples are handled it is more convenient to coil the film in an arc of perhaps 350 with the sample at the center of the arc. This may be done by using suitable film guides. If the sample is so thick that it will absorb the radiation then the tube 80 may be positioned so that the edge of the sample will be at the center of the lm arc. While the sample may be held motionless during the exposure which may be of several minutes duration, this is not necessary. Furthermore, use may be made of flash X-ray technique to provide instantaneous exposures.

After the exposure is made the film. is marked by a depth indicator 84, such as that described above, and then the lm is moved forward on spools 85 and is ready for the next exposure. The sample is then discharged through conduit 86.

The strainer or lter 18 is provided with means for discharging excess uid through conduit El.

All electrical elements are selectively supplied with power from the surface in the manner described above. The power is distributed within the capsule 1!) from the power receiver 88 which is connected to the conductors 8B.

Where water is leaking into a Well, a survey with this apparatus will reveal the nature of the water entering the well; that is, the crystalline salt content and the nature of the Icrystalline salts present. By showing progressively the change of composition from water to drilling mud, and vice versa, an accurate location of the point of entry of water can be made.

Every crystalline material such as, for example, sodium chloride or potassium carbonate, diiers 8. slightly in crystalline structure from every other crystalline material. Thus a diraction pattern of sodium chloride, see Figure 5, will show lcertain characteristic lines which can be recognized by anyone skilled in this eld of analysis. Accordingly, the pattern found upon the photographic nlm upon developing may be interpreted as a true analysis of the crystalline material placed in position before the X-ray tube at the time of exposure. If, for example, both potassium carbonate and sodium chloride are present in a physical mixture, both diffraction patterns will appear superimposed on each other on the lm and it will be possible to vcalculate by means of their relative intensities the approximate percentage of each material.

in Figures 7a and 7b there are illustrated X-ray diffraction patterns showing the method of comparing nlms of two different materials. Figure 7a is an X-ray diffraction pattern of sodium chloride and Figure 7b is a diffraction pattern of diatomaceous earth.

We claim:

An apparatus for geophysical prospecting comprising in combination an elongated sealed housing adapted to be lowered and raised in a drill hole, means including a cable for lowering and raising said housing in the drill hole, milling cutters carried by said housing for removing the mud sheath from at least a portion of the wall of said drill hole, squeegees also carried by said housing for scraping that portion of the wall from which the mud sheath has been removed, means dening a chamber in said housing, a window in the means defining the chamber adapted to contact the cleaned wall of the drill hole, means including a bellows for extending and retracting said window with respect to the housing, guide means for said housing, pneumatic means for extending said guide means into Contact with the wall of the drill hole, separate pneumatic means for operating the milling cutters, the squeegees, the guide extending means, and the means for extending and retracting the window, a multifrequency source of power, electrical means responsive to different frequencies of power for selectively energizing said pneumatic means, an X-ray tube in said chamber for generating X-rays, means for directing the X-rays through said window against the cleaned wall of the drill hole, and a photosensitive element in said chamber for recording the X-rays that have been dispersed by diffraction produced by the crystalline substance or substances in the wall and which have been back-reilected into the chamber.

FRANK P. HOCHGESANG. CARLETON H. SCI-ILESMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,025,488 Yap a Dec. 24, 1935 2,133,776 Bender Oct. 18, 1938 2,317,329 McLachlan Apr. 20, 1943 2,334,475 Claudet NOV. 16, 1943 2,341,745 Silverman l Feb. 15, 1944 2,344,598 Church Mar. 21, 1944 2,400,678 Archie May 21, 1946 

